There's No Place Like Home!

Very nice. i doing something similar with Margate. I will make sure i follow
 
2024/2025

So, with a reasonably successful season complete, how did we fare when dealing with Europe in the mix?

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Surprisingly well, as it turns out. The extra matches didn't affect us too much as we continued to go up the table, finishing in 5th this time out. We were helped by the fact that our strikers actually scored goals this year, but it would be our defence that cost us, as we missed out on the CL playoffs on goal difference to Chelsea. Slightly gutting, but it gives us a chance to have a crack at the secondary European competition once again, and become accustomed to it once more.

We reached the Capital One Cup final again this season, but Chelsea bested us, so we lose that crown. Still, it is a definite sign of progression. Europe was different though. Having beaten Zilina in a playoff, we faced this group:

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Having qualified out of it, we ditched Schalke out on away goals, before finally being ditched out by Sporting in Portugal. Still, it was a magnificent attempt first time out, and we will be back again.

Our best XI looks a lot healthier this season as well, with goals across the board, and better performances to boot. Hopefully we carry this form to the next season, where we can hopefully finally reach the top 4.

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Also, I'm the Chile manager now, that's a thing. We aren't going to the World Cup, I took over too late for that, but I'm here for the long term. Apologies to Denmark, who I accidentally relegated out the ENL top division. My bad guys.​
 
2025/2026 - The season so far

This season hasn't seen any drastic changes in terms of the team. We sit in 5th currently, 6 points off the champions league spots. In addition, we qualify out our EL group for the 2nd year in a row.

Results

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The results look a lot less inconsistent these days. Having said that, we have had a poor December/January yet again, which has killed our momentum a touch. We also depart the Capital One Cup to Man City, but we do remain in the FA Cup after a tight set of games with Liverpool. The draw with Wycombe was less pleasing though.

League

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We are still in with a shout, but it will be difficult. Defensively, we've been poor again this season, and there have been a few tweaks in recent matches to try and combat that. Can't say I'd be impressed if we miss out on the CL by goal difference again.


Europa League

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We finish behind the team that knocked us out last season. Our second place finish means our next European game is at home to Lorient, which should be a very competitive match.​
 
Godfish93 said:
I saw, I've keeping up to date with your thread as best as possible.
Click to expand...
I
t wot let me post long posts for the moment but got i tall saved to harddrive, Was weirdest season ever too. Cant wait to share
 
February 2026

February is often the make or break point for seasons. It most certainly is for us as well if we are going to get that Champions League spot. We also have the FA Cup and Europa League to contest as well, so there is all very much to play for.

We could have started the month better though, as we slumped to a mediocre draw. It was very much a game for the spectacular though, as three of the goals were long rangers. Still, it is one point gained rather than none, so we build on it.

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Back into cup action next, and we finally saw off Wycombe, albeit in extra time. We did play pretty well, but sloppy defending from Gustavo Henrique yet again cost us points. The Brazilian defender has talent, but he is very costly, and I will be considering bids in the summer should they come in.

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For the third time this season though, City smashed us into pieces. I wonder why we aren't top 4, but it's matches like this one that we should win and don't.

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To get over the disappointment at home to City, we turned our heads to Europe, and Lorient. They didn't stand a chance really, as we played them off the park. A resounding 4-0 win all but puts us through to the next round, where we play either Rennes or Fenerbache.

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From the sublime to the pathetic. We are dumped out the FA Cup by a former coach turned manager in Cristiano Ronaldo. Palace tore us to shreds in much the same way that we did to Lorient. It means that yet again, we fail in a cup competition I really want to win. Maybe next year.

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We go through in the EL, but we don't round off the tie. Another poor away performance, so back to the tactics board I go. We meet Fenerbache in the next round.

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March sees more European games, youth intakes and some incredibly vital league games. Every point is now crucial to us.

League Table

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Season's End 2025/26

So my original plan was to be that I would update this monthly. However, having played the matches, nothing actually happened! In reality, there really wasn't much worth writing about, so I'll summarise, and proceed with the upcoming year.

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As you can see from our results, we were way, way too inconsistent. The Europa League campaign was ended in tears yet again by Sporting Lisbon, who are starting to get on my nerves. The quarter final run will help our co-efficient though, until you realise that Bayern and Atletico Madrid are both in the Europa League next year. Dammit.

The league wasn't much better either. We finished 6th, 15 points behind 4th which is a massive drop in comparison to last season. I can't complain too loudly, 6th still gets us European football. But I can't yet shake the feeling that we missed out somewhat. To that end, I'll need to focus carefully with the transfers that I make this season.

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One pleasing aspect is the development of some of my previous signings. Benali joined us on a free from Auxerre last season, and went from strength to strength, finishing in the team of the season.

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Meanwhile, Pereira took home player of the season, and Aleman's thunderbolt claimed goal of the season. It's noticeable that the left side of the pitch is considerably weaker than the right. Flanagan's time at the club is up, and he will be replaced in the upcoming future. There is interest from the MLS for him, and I'll be utilising that.

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On the plus side, the youth system finally pulled through. Mark Morrison is the brightest young thing to come through in a while, and I will be looking to bring him through the club, and get him to premiership standard.

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Next up, we meet two of my new arrivals as we plough through the summer.​
 
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Transfers so far

Defense was always going to be my primary focus this summer. With a war chest of £50m, I wasn't short of options, and although my main target decided to join Utd, I was able to capitalise.

Eric Dier

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A steal at 3.4m. The experienced defender will be vital to shoring up what at times was a very inexperienced backline, and he is likely to start ahead of Gustavo Alexandre, who at times was incredibly costly at the back. Alongside Sanchis, Dier will be crucial, but will also be able to help Santos and Rodriguez push on to the next level.

Cesar Neira

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Having tracked the Ecuadorian for a while, I'm pleased to have got him a year later. FFP stopped me from getting him last season, but this year he was a primary target, especially having not settled in Munich. With captain Aleman also hailing from his homeland, Cesar should settle in pretty nicely, and for 8m, we get a solid left back.

Canada 2026 World Cup

While all this goes on, the international teams battle it out with a few shocks already. Mali top a group containing England and Belgium, whilst Gabon knock out Spain. Hosts Canada don't make the next stage, but remain undefeated.

Wouldn't want to be in the second half of the draw though, that looks painful...

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I've always maintained that if a big bid came in for a player, I would seriously consider it. Memeti could be regarded as our lead striker, but for 37m total, I can't not take the money. Having only scored 32 in 82 in the league, he has a decent record but not amazing and I feel that I can adequately replace the Italian.

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In addition, he has been unsettled for a while now through interest from Germany, so it was starting to get to him. Provided the deal goes through, I'll look at replacing him within the next two weeks to get the new guy adequately prepared.

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2026 World Cup

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So 2022 saw Switzerland win the coveted trophy. 4 years later and it belongs to...Mexico. Go figure. In what was an entertaining tournament, the Mexicans defeated France on penalties to lift the trophy. France meanwhile suffer their second penalty defeat in the final in 5 tournaments.

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​
 
Having sold Memeti, my first priority had to be replacing him as my lead striker. I did have a list of around 4 or 5 targets, all of which would have been suitable, but for the most part were out of the price range I was prepared to pay. However, I did decide upon a tried and tested method - a Belgian at Everton.

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Meet Zeno Lievens. Everton's demise was to our benefit, as we snap him up for just shy of £20m. Belgium have a luxury of good talent, and Lievens plays second fiddle to Vandecasteele for the most part, a striker at Milan, once of Liverpool.

Mentally, Lievens knows what he's doing, and he's no slouch on the physical department either. With a bit of training, I'm confident I can turn him into the all-round package I was looking for all summer.

Meanwhile, we continue to push for superb youth players, as we are joined by Czech international Miroslav Zeleny. Whilst for the immediate future he will play backup to new signing Neira, Zeleny will see a decent amount of game time, and the 5m signing from Jablonec should turn out to be good. In the short term, I've asked him to work with Eric Dier, who can show him the ropes.

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Lievens looks like my kind of striker! Can do it all - great pickup mate!​
 
Yeti01 said:
Lievens looks like my kind of striker! Can do it all - great pickup mate!​
Click to expand...

He can't at the minute though, he picked up a twisted ankle 40 mins into a goalscoring debut against CS Sedan Ardennes. Back to the drawing board!
 
Just read the whole thing from start to finish. As a Grimsby boy born and bred, it is a tough read :p but really entertaining. Its actually inspired me to do one with Grimsby myself. Keep it up!!
 
After a long, strenuous pre-season, we are finally ready for the upcoming season. It was largely successful, with our only defeats coming to teams we would ordinarily expect to lose. We did pick up some injuries, with Dier and Lievens missing the start of the season, but we are almost there.

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Next up, a look at the squad for the new season, including a detailed look at each position.​
 
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